Footsteps
by Colhan3000
Summary: Shanks has always felt a strong fatherly bond when it came to Luffy. And like any father he wants his sons dreams to come true...until then he'll watch from afar. [Shanks and Luffy Fluff]


Jeez…school is a pain when you want to do things on the internet. I wanna write draw make rants and play with my friends on WiFi but I have papers and other stuff to do. But that doesn't mean I'll let it ruin my fun!

_**I don't own One Piece**_

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**Footsteps**

Shanks had always been an observant person.

He had been so while growing up and became even better at it as a Pirate in Training along with Buggy on their captains ship. Now a captain himself; responsible for the wellbeing and safely of his crew that ability intensified both in and outside of battle.

When he had come to Fuchia Village he had left Grand Line to take a break; and soon became a kind of father to two little boys who lived in the village. Ace who was ten years old and the more serious of then two and Luffy's older brother. Ace was an older brother in the fullest sense of the word, wanting nothing more than to protect his little brother whenever and however he could. He was also calmer and the living definition of the term "voice of reason" in Shanks opinion.

Luffy was the complete opposite; seven years old and a vibrating ball of energy wanting to do everything at once. Hyper didn't even define how energetic the boy could be, especially when the topic of food or pirates were concerned. The only times Luffy ever sat still and quiet was then Shanks was telling stories of their last sail. It was Luffy that Shanks felt a strong connection to.

Luffy was so much like he had been at that age.

Which was yet another reason he refused to allow the boy to join his crew.

Luffy was too young and had no real idea just how dangerous the sea could be how dangerous Grand Line was. Plus the boy had little control over the new abilities the Devil Fruit had granted him. Luffy being stubborn as he always was refused to hear this and continued to try to get him to allow him on his crew, even going so far as to cut himself under his left eye to prove his seriousness of his claims. It was that he was too young that Shanks wouldn't let him…and the fatherly instincts that he had developed since meeting him swelled strong at wanting to protect the boy.

So when that Higuma the mountain bandit had the boy pinned to the village squares fountain with a sword to his throat…while he hadn't looked it at first he had seen RED.

NOBODY hurt his friends…and nobody hurt his Luffy.

When Higuma had played that trick and stolen Luffy away him and his crew, along with some of the villagers scoured the village looking for the bandit and the boy. It had been Makino who had seen the tiny boat out in the sea…and Shanks had dove into the waters without a second thought. He watched as he was swimming as Higuma threw the boy into the waters; the Devil Fruit not having completely absorbed into his body yet and still allowed him to stay above the water as he flailed around in an attempt to swim. It was then that that monster came up out of the water and ate the man along with the boat.

When the monster had set its sights on Luffy…

He couldn't remember the last time he had swam so fast…

He couldn't remember feeling so panicked in his life…

So absorbed in saving the boy he saw as his own son…he didn't even realize what happened to his arm until he saw the blood in the water and Luffy was crying in guilt.

But he didn't regret it…he still didn't and never would… the loss of his arm was nothing compared to the pain of losing Luffy.

The day he and his crew was to leave; the village people had come to see them off, Luffy had as well and stood next to Shanks talking with him. Luffy had said he wouldn't ask him to come along this time; that he would gather his own nakama, Shanks couldn't help but make a jab at the boys little speech. It was how Luffy had outright shouted his future goals; to become better than him, to gather nakama stronger than that of his own crew, to fine One Piece. Shanks felt a twinge of pride for the boy…and had placed his treasured hat on the boys head. He told the Luffy to return it to him when he became an outstanding pirate.

The day Mihawk arrived at the island he and his crew were anchored at and showed him the bounty poster he felt a mixture of excitement and pride swell in his chest. The little boy with the round face and wide eyes had been replaced by a teenager with the same messy black hair and the same wide happy grin that promised mayhem. His boy had grown up.

As time passed he heard more and more about Luffy; when the incident at Enies Lobby happened and he saw the posters of Luffy and his crew members he couldn't keep the grin off his face even if he tried, and in all honesty he didn't want to.

Luffy was well on his way to achieving the goal he had voiced all those years ago.

And like any father would want for their sons, Shanks wanted to see the boy's dreams come true.

Until then…he would keep watch from afar, as Luffy followed in his footsteps towards a goal Shanks had no doubt he would achieve.

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End file.
